16 U.S.C. § 425m (2024)
This is the official text of 16 U.S.C. § 425m (2024), part of Federal (US Code)’s United States Code — the codified general and permanent federal statutes of the United States, organized into more than 50 numbered titles by subject.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Retained rights
Official statutory text
(a) Retention of use and occupancy
With the exception of property which the Secretary determines is necessary for development or public use, the owner or owners of improved property acquired pursuant to sections 425k to 425o of this title may retain a right of use and occupancy of such improved property for noncommercial residential purposes for a definite term of not more than twenty-five years, or for a term ending at the death of the owner or the owner's spouse. The owner shall elect the term to be reserved, except that if the owner is a corporation, trust, partnership, or any entity other than an individual, the term shall not exceed twenty-five years. Ownership shall be determined as of June 1, 1989. Unless the property is wholly or partially donated, the Secretary shall pay to the owner the fair market value of the property on the date of such acquisition, less the fair market value of the right retained by the owner.
(b) Terms and conditions
Any rights retained pursuant to this section shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe and may be terminated by the Secretary upon his determination and after reasonable notice to the owner thereof that such property is being used for any purpose which is incompatible with the administration, protection, or public use of the park. Such right shall terminate by operation of law upon notification of the owner by the Secretary and tendering to the owner an amount equal to the fair market value of that portion of the right which remains unexpired.
(c) "Improved property" defined
As used in this section, the term "improved property" means a year-round noncommercial single-family dwelling together with such land, in the same ownership as the dwelling, as the Secretary determines is reasonably necessary for the enjoyment of the dwelling for single-family residential use.
(Pub. L. 101–214, §4, Dec. 11, 1989, 103 Stat. 1850.)
With the exception of property which the Secretary determines is necessary for development or public use, the owner or owners of improved property acquired pursuant to sections 425k to 425o of this title may retain a right of use and occupancy of such improved property for noncommercial residential purposes for a definite term of not more than twenty-five years, or for a term ending at the death of the owner or the owner's spouse. The owner shall elect the term to be reserved, except that if the owner is a corporation, trust, partnership, or any entity other than an individual, the term shall not exceed twenty-five years. Ownership shall be determined as of June 1, 1989. Unless the property is wholly or partially donated, the Secretary shall pay to the owner the fair market value of the property on the date of such acquisition, less the fair market value of the right retained by the owner.
(b) Terms and conditions
Any rights retained pursuant to this section shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe and may be terminated by the Secretary upon his determination and after reasonable notice to the owner thereof that such property is being used for any purpose which is incompatible with the administration, protection, or public use of the park. Such right shall terminate by operation of law upon notification of the owner by the Secretary and tendering to the owner an amount equal to the fair market value of that portion of the right which remains unexpired.
(c) "Improved property" defined
As used in this section, the term "improved property" means a year-round noncommercial single-family dwelling together with such land, in the same ownership as the dwelling, as the Secretary determines is reasonably necessary for the enjoyment of the dwelling for single-family residential use.
(Pub. L. 101–214, §4, Dec. 11, 1989, 103 Stat. 1850.)
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Federal (US Code)?
Find a Federal (US Code) lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.